Die making procedure



Feb. 19, 1963 A. E. PAYNE 3,077,797

DIE MAKING PROCEDURE Filed NOV. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PAYNE ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1963 A. E. PAYNE 3,077,797

DIE MAKING PROCEDURE Filed Nov. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

ALBERT E PAYNE ATTOR NEYS United rates 3,tl77,77 DIE MAKING PRUIIEDIJREAlbert E. Payne, 2750 S. Limestone Sb, Springfield, Ghio Fiied Nov. 16,195% Ser. No. 8%,033 3 Claims. (Q1. 76-197) This invention relates tothe production of punches, dies, molds and the like which give form ororigin to materials; such a component is hereinafter termed a matrix.More particularly, the invention relates to the attainment of economy inthe production of these matrices by efiectin'g both time and labor costreductions.

A considerable proportion of the cost involved in the production of diesof even simple contour arises from the extensive and accurate operationsnormally required, including the laying out of the contour on the dieblock.

My present invention contemplates the provision of a novel method ofachieving on a die block the outline of the matrix to be produced; thisoutline has utility as a scribe line guide in conventional die making aswell as the preferred procedure specifically described hereinafter.

'The invention further contemplates the provision of a novel method ofachieving the scribe line and in which method the layout of the scribeline on the blank is accomplished by the die designer himself, the diedesigner indicating not only the scribe line but the areas in whichmetal removal is to take place. Thus the usual need for layout Work by amachinist or die sinker is eliminated, while yet the accuracy of mostbench layouts is readily attained and economy is achieved.

The-invention further contemplates the provision of a die block havingthe scribe line of a matrix delineated thereon and which scribed dieblock may be prepared for completion at a widely different time andplace.

In the practice of the invention to form a die, for example, a die blankis first prepared with a ground and blued surface in usual manner. It isto be understood that reference to a die is merely for convenience andthat a punch or mold would be formed in similar manner, the term die inthis application encompassing punches, molds and like matrices whichgive form or origin to material.

The ground, blued die blank has superposed thereon drawing paper or thelike bearing the outlines of the scribe lines or contours desired. Thedie designer pricks a plurality of spaced points through the drawingpaper suiticiently to indicate the contour desired. The paper is thenremoved and the prick points are interconnected to form the scribe line.

In addition to indicating on the die blank the desired scribe line, thedie designer also indicates on the die blank the areas for metalremoval. Thus the blank is provided to the machinist or die sinkercompletely ready for machining. I

The machining operations involve usually the simple drilling of aplurality of holes with the scribe line serving as a general reference;however, the drilling does not extend to the scribe line and it is notnecessary to closely approach the scribe line in drilling. Drilling theholes in close relation leaves a web of metal which is then removed byend milling to break the back of the web. This is followed by pressingthe complement of the die to be formedthat is a punch having the contourof the scribe lineonto the die blank in alignment with the scribe line.Sufficient pressure is exerted, on the lip of metal left after 3,077,797Patented Feb. 19, 1963 ice drilling, and milling, to cause the metal ofthe lip to shear and flow into the area from which metal has beenremoved. Thus an exact contour for the die is attained.

The metal which formed the lip simply flattens into the cavity; somemetal may fracture in this pressing operation and is easily removed ifdesired, although such is not necessary in the case of punches and dies.With molds the cavity should be cleared up.

After pressing, clearances may be provided on the die as desired andthereafter the die is heat treated and hard ened in accordance withusual commercial practices.

However, the method of forming the outline by punch pricks, and wheredesired of connecting the punch marks together to form a complete scribeline, is of utility regardless of the method of metal removal, and is atime saving factor in conventional die making procedures. For example,in many instances metal removal is suitably and quickly achieved with ashaper rather than by drilling and end milling.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first step in the processof the invention showing a sheet of drawing paper having a drawing ofthe letter P thereon; I

.FIGURE 2 illustrates a step in the process of -invention showing aground blank with bluing applied thereto;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the step of application of the drawing paper to theground blued blank;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a step of hand punching through the engineeringdrawing paper to the ground blued blank;

FIGURE 5 illustrates the step of removal of the drawing paper and showsthe blank with punch pricks thereon;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a further step in the layout wherein the metal tobe removed in the process of production of a punch for the letter P isillustrated;

FIGURE 7 illustrates a succeeding step wherein metal, after beingdrilled out, is end milled to remove the web left by the drillingoperation;

FIGURE 8 illustrates the blank at the completion of the metal removaloperation;

FIGURE 9 illustrates the pressing operation;

FIGURE 10 illustrates a completed punch;

.FIGURE 11 is a view illustrating the manner in which a female die isproduced in accordance with the practice of the invention andcorresponds to the step in the process illustrated in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 12 illustrates a completed female die for cooperation with apunch as illustrated in FIGURE 10.

The invention illustrated in FIGURES l-8, inclusive, is described withreference to production of a punch for the letter P.

Referring to the drawings and initially FIGURE 1 the numeral 1designates a sheet of engineering masking drawing paper having drawnthereon the capital letter P, indicated at 2. Preferably this drawingpaper is a relatively heavy paper having an adhesive 2a on one side andnormally protected by a strip-off paper. However, any suitable paper andadhesive may be employed.

The numeral 3 (FIGURE 2) refers to a prepared blank which is ground andblued, the bluing being partially shown in FIGURE 2 at 4.

The masking drawing paper 1 (FIGURE 3) is glued into place on the blank3. Alternatively the drawing peper may begluedno the blank first and thedrawing made on the paper while it is glued on the blank Alignment ofthe drawing on the blank is not critical and may be made in any suitablemanner as by reference to straight edges of the blank. The paper,however, should be flat and air should not be trapped between the sheetand blank.

The die designer, utilizing a punch prick (FIGURE 4), follows theoutline of the letter, punching through the masking drawing paper to theblank 3. In FIGURE 5, where the drawing paper is shown in the course ofremoval, the prick point outline is designated at 6 on the blank.

Only sufiicient punch pricks or punch marks need be made to define thecontour; in the case of a straight line two well spaced marks aresufiicient, while with complex curves a plurality of closed spaced marksare more satisfactory.

' As illustrated in FIGURE 6 the scribe line 7 is drawn I through theprick points 6. Also in FIGURE 6, as designated by the numeral 8, areasfor metal removal are indicated by the die designer. Such indicationsfor metal removal maybe in any form, circles have been chosen forillustration in the drawings, since metal removal is suit: ably effectedbydrilling. However, since in FIGURE 6 much of the metal could beremoved with a shaper, the indications by the die designer may obviouslybe by straight, intersecting lines and the like.

As-Will be noted from FIGURE 7 the larger circularlike areas 8 indicatethat metal is to be removed from the area outside of the letter P. Thenumeral 9 designates smaller areas within the letter from which metal isto be removed I by drilling, using a somewhat smaller drill.

Similar drills are more suitable adjacent corners, sharp curves and thelike.

However, it is to be noted that uniformity of spacing of drill holesdesignated at 10 in FIGURE 7 is not required. It is only necessary thatthe drilled out area extend in proximity to the scribe line. Furtherwhere metal is to be removed from the outside of the letter P (FIG- URE6) .a shaper, as already noted may beemployed since the contour is notcomplicated and the shaper removes suchmetal quickly.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the metalweb remaining after drilling is endmilled to break the web and complete metal removal, leaving only a lip11 of irregular contolll'xin form of. serrations 12 on the outside ofthe letter Pas inFIGURE 8 Further, a lip 13 (FIGURES 7 and 8) remainswithin the, letter after end milling, a serrated edge being indicated,at 14.

As illustrated in FIGURE 9 a female. diemember 15,

having a cavity contour generallydesignated at 16 andcorresponding to,scribe, line 7, ispressed down on the blank 1 with the scribe line 7aligned-with contour 16. This pressure operation causes the metal ofthelips 11 and 13 to shear and flow into the areas from which metal hasbeen,removed, the, metal of lip 11 forming (FIGURE 10) the ridge17/fi11d1l1fl metal of lip 13 forming the ridge 18.

The ridges 17 and 18 lie wellbelow the punch shearing,

edges at 19 of'punch 20; accordingly do notinterfere with operation ofthe completed punch. However, if desired such metal may, of course, beremoved.

It is thus to be seen that the provision of the. scribe line 7 in themanner described is a material factor in theeconomy, ofithe process, andmostrimportant the scribing does not introduce any error notautomatically corrected by the .pressure operation.

The female die may be produced; from the punch formed in the practice oftheprocessof invention and pertinent steps are. indicated in FIGURES.11.and 12. Thus in FIGURE 11 the numeral 22 designates the die blankprovided as already described with a scribe line 23. Within the letter.areas for metal removal are indicated by circles 25. The finishedproductafterthe pressureoperation. is the .die .26 (FIGURE 12 'lhe punchanddie customarily in the practice of the invention are provided withclearances as required and are then heat treated to complete theprocedure.

The time saved and the economy achieved by the practice of the inventionincrease as the complexity of die contour increases, for much less laboris expended relatively in the scribing.

Standard die set materials may be employed in the practice of theinvention to attain maximum economy and interchangeability. Similarlystandard strippers are employed. m

The method of invention is applicable for molds, dies and punches andparticularity is of utility in embossing, cutting, forming, blanking andprogressive tape processes relating to operations on sheet metal.

The masking drawing paper is preferred but it is to be understood thatmaterial which will accept the drawing configuration and which may bepunched through in the hand prick punch operation is generally useful.

' Further the specific method of die production described, while ofgreat benefit in conjunction with the marking process, is not necessaryto the utilization of the marking process. Conventional die makingprocedures for example are speeded by the marking procedure. Alsoprocedures wherein the machinist must remove metalfrom specific areas inthe matrix formation are speeded due particularly to the feature ofhaving the metal removal areasdesignated by the die designer himself,for example.

The specific process of die formation, however, in combination with themarking procedure provides for punches and dies with accurate cuttingedges, designated at C in FIGURES 10 and 12, and in a most economicalmanner.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to difierent usages and conditions and accordingly,it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention asmay fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a process for the production of a matrix in the points on theblank to form continuous lines, roughing out the excess metal of theblank to a position close to said continuous lines but leaving a lip ofmetal of substantial width, pressing said lip of metal with a matrixwhich is the complement of the matrix to be formed thereby to cause themetal of the lip to shear and flow into the area from which the excessmetal is removed in the roughing step, said pressure being sufficient toform a well defined edge on the matrix from which said lip has beenremoved, and thereafter hardening the matrix.

2. In a process for the production of a matrix in the form of a hardeneddie, punch, mold or the like, the steps of pricking into a metal blankwhile in a relatively soft condition and through a drawing of theoutline of the die fixed on the blank to form a series of spaced pointswhich can be connected to define said scribed outline, marking out areason the blank from which metal is to be removed to form the matrix,roughening out the relatively soft metal of the areas to an extent toprovide between the scribed line and the marked out areas a lip of metalof substantial width, pressing the lip of metal with a matrix which isthe complement of the matrix to be formed thereby to cause the metal ofthe lip to shear and flow into the area from which metal is removed it!the roughening step, pressuring to an extent sufficient to form a welldefined edge on the matrix, and thereafter hardening the matrix.

3. In a process for the production of a hardened metal matrix in theform of a die or punch in planar form, the steps of starting with amatrix in a relatively soft condition, providing an outline of thefinished die or punch on the planar surface of the metal, thereafterroughening out the relatively soft metal to a position near but notprecisely to the outline whereby an excess of metal is left in theplanar direction between the outline and the roughened surface, thenremoving this excess metal precisely to the outline by a combinedprecisional pressing and cutting operation which causes the excess metalto shear and flow into the area from which the metal has been removed inthe roughening" step whereby to leave a lip at a level below thefinished planar surface of the matrix, and thereafter hardening themetal matrix to form a finished die or punch strictly according to saidoutline.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS387,527 Merritt Aug. 7, 1888 2,638,019 Stel-lin May 12, 1953 2,703,023Sarno Mar. 1, 1955 2,743,629 Pellegrino May 1, 1956 2,764,817 SchwartzOct. 2, 1956 2,862,302 Lucia Dec. 2, 1958 2,898,688 Cottar Aug. 11, 1959

1. IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A MATRIX IN THE FORM OF A DIE ORPUNCH, AND IN WHICH THE EXCESS METAL IS REMOVED FROM A ROUGH BLANK TOWITHIN A DISTANCE OF AN OUTLINE ON THE BLANK, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICHCOMPRISES THE STEPS OF PRICKING INTO THE BLANK THROUGH A DRAWING FIXEDON THE BLANK A SERIES OF SPACED POINTS DEFINING THE BOUNDARIES OF THEDIE OR PUNCH, REMOVING THE DRAWING TO EXPOSE THE BLANK WITH THE PRICKEDPOINTS THEREON CONNECTING SAID POINTS ON THE BLANK TO FORM CONTINUOUSLINES, ROUGHING OUT THE EXCESS METAL OF THE BLANK TO A POSITION CLOSE TO